The use of multiple synthetic identities enables a user to both protect their real identity as well as compartmentalize their online and offline activities. A user may have multiple synthetic identities, each with different identity attributes (e.g., different name, date of birth, telephone, email, delivery address, and so on). The user will select which identity is appropriate in a given situation and which identity attributes are required for that identity. For example, a user may browse the web with a real user identity, limiting browsing to news sites. The user may then decide to swap to a different identity (i.e., browse with a synthetic identity). The user may want to do this because he or she does not want social media interaction, which may be political in nature, to be linked to a real identity. Later the user might swap to another synthetic identity, so that the user can purchase goods on e-commerce sites without those purchases being linked to any other identity.
One of the complexities of using multiple synthetic identities is managing telephony communication with these identities. Over the course of any week a user may act using a real identity and different synthetic identities. The user will need a different phone number for each identity supporting incoming and outgoing messages and voice calls. The difficulty for the user is how to manage the communication interaction of multiple identities when a user typically has one mobile phone number. It can quickly become very confusing for the user, and error prone, such that the user may inadvertently disclose a real identity.
One relatively straightforward approach is for the user to purchase multiple phone numbers, one for their real identity and one for each synthetic identity, and swap from one to another. For example, the user could purchase a separate mobile phone for each identity. The user gives out the phone number based on the interaction context. Unfortunately this scenario is not practical as users do not want to carry multiple mobile phones, and normal mobile phone contracts don't allow dynamic adding and deleting of phone services.
Accordingly, there is a need for a better system for managing telephonic communication for multiple synthetic identities. In particular, a user should be able to receive and initiate both messages and voice calls from any real or synthetic identity, and be clear at any time which identity is in context.